Hands-on fun at York County History Center event

York Daily Record

Alek Kluegel, 10, of York, sews a drawstring bag with the help of Linda Morris, a volunteer with the Teaching Museum for the Textile and Fiber Arts. The sewing station was one of many set up at the Colonial Complex in York on Saturday, where a campaign event was being held for the new York County History Center.

Alek Kluegel sat at the 1950s-era Singer sewing machine, eyes trained on the needle as it moved up and down through the fabric.

The 10-year-old was making a drawstring bag at one of the many activity stations set up at the Colonial Complex in York Saturday, as part of a campaign for the new York County History Center.

More:Here's the latest on plans for the new York County History Center

Volunteers and History Center staff led discussions and demonstrations throughout the Colonial Complex, capturing the attention of children and adults as they talked about life, in times of war and peace, from the 1700s through present day.

Alek, of York, was making a drawstring bag with the help of Linda Morris, a volunteer with the Teaching Museum for the Textile Fiber Arts. He listened attentively as Morris gave him instruction.

"People underestimate kids, they really do," Morris said. "They're not just interested in staring into video games."

Alek, Morris said, seemed to enjoy looking at the mechanics of the sewing machine, and watching how his movements made it work.

The trick to getting a child's attention, Morris said, is interaction.

"They love it when they can put their hands on something and say, 'I made this,'" Morris said.